Hosho McCreesh's Blog, page 24

Calling All Independent Filmmakers!

It seems, in big publishing, the book itself is a big, beautiful product and (unless we're talking one of writing's giants) the writer is just the means. As The Atlantic wrote recently, publishing is paying more and more to it's own 1%, putting all its eggs in fewer baskets. It's the same mindset responsible for the blatant rehashing of familiar franchises we see lining the interstates of American life, packing the shelves at big bookstores and choking the gigaplex with more god-awful summer movies. To put it bluntly: big publishers must stick to the formula if they hope to break even -- or so the thinking seems to go.

Independent presses are, according to the article, the place where biggest risks are taken. I very much agree. Of course almost none of the independent presses I know get the same coverage as even the most tepid rehashed chum. Which is a crying shame...but there it is.

So it's abundantly clear: we cannot make many waves alone. However...

I'm certainly close to last to this party, but if you haven't seen it...I've recently been really jazzed by Vimeo. Filmmakers of all stripes, cranking out all kinds of work (of various quality - to be fair), makes for a pretty great rabbit hole to fall down! From live-action, to animation, to documentaries, there's certainly something new and interesting to see here. And if you dig independent filmmaking, you should find a way to see some of this stuff.

And it got me thinking... I'd wager independent filmmakers are constantly looking for material, and probably gut-sick from hoping for a stray table scrap to fall from big publishing's lap. If so, I'd like to cordially invite them to plow the back catalogs of all the tremendous independent presses -- ones that have been publishing interesting and unheralded work and are certainly worthy of (and overdue for) some wider recognition.

Animators: you can EASILY FIND PIECES or SHORT STORIES  to put YOUR SPIN ON.

Surely some of the massively intriguing small press novels I've read over the years could be developed into longer scripts...COULDN'T THEY?

So, for anyone who hadn't yet figured out this angle -- VIMEO, meet the independent press; independent press, check out Vimeo!

It's a wondrous time to be creating, and the simple truth is, if we want to do work that stands out, we have to do professional-level work, and take risks the establishment can't or won't. This may well be the antidote to the all the CINE-MUCK.

Have You Joined the NOTIFY LIST?

If you haven't, well here's THE LINK you need to do just that!

What does that get you? Occasional emails (from my Mailchimp Account), news, and first crack at the special editions of new books before they're on sale elsewhere. And if you include you mailing address in your sign-up, the occasional freebie might just land in your mailbox.

Now how you gonna beat that?

 

What a Circus...

Small Press Day in Ireland & the UK...

In New Mexico, it's too hot.

I'm at work all the time (instead of having the summer off, like they taught me to expect as a kid!).

So, it's fair to say I'm in something of a rut. Hence the radio silence this past month or so. "If you don't have anything nice to say..." as the old adage goes...

However, the small press ain't in no rut! Happy small press day to my friends over the pond! I love discovering new books, the kind of thing that would never find a handhold in commercial publishing...just great books and voices all around, taking chances with either form and content. So, in that spirit, here are a few recent books and presses I think are worth a look. Only a couple are UK presses...but small presses everywhere need the love!

Two Dollar Radio's the Incantations of Daniel Johnston by Scott McClanahan and Ricardo Cavolo

Tyrant Books' Bad Sex by Clancy Martin

To Break the Heart of the Sun by William Taylor, Jr. from Words Dance

Lori Jakiela's Belief Is Its Own Kind of Truth, Maybe from Atticus Books

Ben Tanzer's Sex and Death from sunnyoutside

Russ Litten's Kingdom from Wrecking Ball Press

The People of the Abyss by Jack London from Tangerine Press

Wide Asleep/Fast Awake by Adrian Manning & Janne Karlson from Bottle of Smoke
 

Chinese Gucci and the Case for Reading Intentionally

File Under: Debating

Here's a decent ONE - TWO punch from The Guardian about why it's important to KEEP BOOKS DANGEROUS. Both articles are talking about Young Adult books, but I say it applies equally to literary fiction. I can't say I agree with the first article’s assertion that books shouldn't be “gratuitous or explicit” — as I think there is value in grit. So long as a reader can be shocked, I think they should be. Not simply for shock’s sake but because at worst it jars the mind of a lazy reader, and at best encourages a deeper internal conversation about the book and the nature of what’s shocking, and why. But the bulk of both articles agreed with me.

It's adorable to think that as long as we work tirelessly enough, we can “protect the children” from the unsavory world and its R-rated (or X-rated) ideas — that nothing will come along and undo it all in a blink. Adorable and unrealistic. I fear more the moment something does happen, and the painful realization that we’ve left them wholly unprepared for the complexity. If given the choice, I'll always take the physically and emotionally safe realm of a book, indeed of knowledge, of imagination, and the world of mind — over the actual danger of schoolyards and streets.

These questions are of tremendous interest to me in the middle of rewriting the first novel, Chinese Gucci, and have heartened me about some of my instincts and decisions. I believe very much in a visceral connection (even if it’s repulsion) with a book, believe that good books and good characters “contain multitudes.” The book is a hopefully clever indictment of a certain brand of adolescent hyper-masculinity, and as such, it has some pretty unpalatable stuff in it. Add to it the largely untested ideas about race and success that many young people start off with, and there are plenty of hot-button issues in the book that may well end up scaring off some readers and distracting from the book's larger intent.

And that's a terrifying concern.

It seems, in our race to never offend, never belittle or shame, never visit microaggressions upon another, we've become hyper-aware to the point of near mental inaction. By that I mean we've lost the ability to accurately parse intent from the larger mash-up of content. Someone says something that, on it's face, seems offensive — okay, yes, offensive ideas should offend. Ah, but why did they say it? Did I even hear it correctly? Did they accidentally tank what they meant to say instead? Is there another way to take it? Are we even talking about the same damn thing? This feels like something we are rapidly becoming either unwilling or unable to do any more. It’s much easier to simply fly off the handle, and launch into our own screeds and tirades. That feels perilous. Ideas, words, world views, differences — these can and should be evaluated — not just on their face, but through the lens of intent. If we lose that, why even bother with language?

So what do you think? What’s worse: a dangerous book, or a painfully safe one? An offensive book or an inoffensive one? Should anything ever be off limits for readers? For writers?

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Get Some!

BLOOD-RED Hardback spotted in the wild!

There's been a BLOOD-RED sighting out there in the wild! Have you seen a copy anywhere?

I have added a couple new items to the STORE. You may notice quantities are very limited. In the case of the new BoSP book, I should get more copies of both hardbacks and paperbacks, and of course Bottle of Smoke probably has copies too; as for All the Days, All the Things -- well, that's the last of them. It was my first book, way back in 1999. Someone wrote, looking for a copy, and I managed to dig up a couple -- so there's the last of them for anyone with a lonely shelf!

The Chinese Gucci rewrite continues, so I better quit farting around and get back to it!
 

End Results and Solid Beginnings...

File Under: Holy Shit
 

Okay, so, on the off chance that someone out there is interested, I feel obligated to mention that there's a THIRST clamshell available from the Antiquarian Bookseller's Association of America...

But, man, that's a LOT of ham for two eggs. Terrific product shot though!

File Under: Propers
DECANT EDITORIAL
 

My relative silence these past couple weeks is due, in large part, to my work with Josh and Decant Editorial. If you don't know Joshua Mohr, you should -- he's a fine writer with a grip of truly interesting books out from Two Dollar Radio and Soft Skull Press. He's also a teacher. But above all else, he is a lover of words and writing. He and I are hard at work on a rewrite of Chinese Gucci, and even early on I already know the book is a tighter, leaner read for his insights.

A book has a tremendously lonely existence, especially early on. At first, only one person knows or cares at all. Eventually, maybe a couple more do as the book transforms from a silly vision inside one twisted noodle to, hopefully, a strange object with an appreciative readership. In between, just a handful of people see early drafts, or care too. Now decent editing ain't cheap, but If you're about to finish a manuscript, I suggest considering Josh as one of those handful who will care for it.

 

File Under: Hustling

Last but not least, for anyone waiting: I will have signed copies of the new book, And Turns Still the Sun at Dusk Blood-Red in the STORE...eventually. Of course, BoSP has them available now

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Happy Birthday, John Fante

A terrific excerpt from a terrific book.

Throw Back Thursday!

Throw Back Thursday! It's an actual thing! In order to participate, you simply post a picture of something from way back (it need not have originally been a Thursday, which clears up a lot for me...because, honestly, how could everyone remember that?!). So here we are, drink in the mind-bending design of my first book, a long-out-of-print (and for good reason) diddy called All the Days, All the Things...

Yep, that's the ACTUAL cover...(Gulp!)

 

File Under: Debating
As you all probably know, I'm a small press fan. I'm a fan of doing what you can to get your work out there, of trying to get it our by whatever means necessary. But I'd be lying if I said THIS ARTICLE doesn't make some decent points about the limitations of self-publishing. What do you think?
 

File Under: Reading
New Bill Taylor Jr. - To Break the Heart of the Sun
New Bill Taylor...need I say more? If you don't know his work, find some, get you some. In the Mecca of poetry cities San Francisco, he is, for my money, the best. And with a gorgeous cover and print job by Amanda Oaks at Words Dance, honestly, this is pure small press goodness!

Also: If you ever needed a reason to enjoy Bill Hader's work more, just check out these INSIGHTS INTO HIS READING LIFE. Proof positive that reading make you interesting!
 

File Under: Mad Props
Pig Ear Press
Last but not least: My short story, "Puerto Penasco" is set to get the Pig Ear treatment sometime in the next half-year or so. That, to me, is great news. Pig Ear puts pure heart and soul into their fine, fine productions, and I feel lucky to eventually be part of the stable. More specifics when I have them, but for an idea of what to expect, check out this downright cracker of a book: Joe Ridgwell's "Cuba."

Ridgwell's Cuba from Pig Ear Press

The Unsubtle Forces Aligned Against the Small Press

So, it's small press month (there's a small press month, you say?), and with any luck you've seen a slight uptick in small press related cyber-ink over the month of March. This, then, is my humble offering...a little take on what I see as the three main problems facing small presses. Of course, I'm just one crank blathering here...and I'd love to hear what you think about what the small press can do to expand its audience.

File Under: Bully-pulpit

The Unsubtle Forces Aligned Against the Small Press

Every March there's the smallest little bump in interest, the subtlest increase in chatter, and the small press lands on a few more radars than normal courtesy of Small Press Month. And, so we're clear, I'm jazzed about that...even if it is basically a token gesture towards an every-growing-though-still-ignored corner of publishing. Too pessimistic? Maybe. But "Small press month" is as good a time to reflect as any. So where is small press publishing at now?

Hard to say. When it comes to those spots I'm most familiar with, I say the easy answer is: everywhere and no where. Because unless you know the presses to go looking for, the mostly undiscovered writers to seek out, and unless you take the time to find, buy their books, and post ratings and reviews -- then the sad truth is most small press books don't exist. I mean, the books get made, sure, are usually bought by folks who already know about them (& thank the stars they are!), they're hopefully read...then stuck on a shelf. But among book-buying masses in general never comes in contact with the small press in any way.

How can that be?

Well, to me, it seems to be by design. And for a country and a world that very clearly adores the trope of the scrappy underdog, fighting a cold, uncaring system, it seems the world is terribly late to small press publishing's plight (and by "late," I mean "largely unaware of it!").

Many publishers make and sell their books through their own website, announcing titles to their mailing lists, and sinking or swimming based on those initial sales. That's a workable model, easy enough to maintain, but -- of course, severely limited by the number of actual buyers on said list. Of those small presses with slightly wider sales network, many get a tiny corner on Amazon, but only because Amazon owns their print-on-demand company (and is happy to take a wet chunk of the printing dollars as well as from sales, just for allowing small presses the privilege). Those small press books are left to the whims of algorithms that are designed to sell more of what's already selling, and promote only what's already being talked about. So, unless there are daily sales, weekly spikes, lots of social media likes and shares, that small press book you love basically doesn't exist in the larger apparatus of book selling or book buying.

Listen, I'm not so foolish as to assume that the larger press or its readers give a damn about the small press. They might not. But they also might. And there are some pretty damn significant mechanisms in place that keep the deck is systematically stacked against the small press, preventing great small press books from finding some equal footing on which to compete for book dollars.

From the top down, the small press is restricted access to the larger machine of publishing.
In fact, the only place you'll probably hear about a small press book is from the authors and publishers themselves...something that, culturally, has now become akin to the pushy door-to-door vacuum salesman of yesteryear jamming his dirty loafer in your front door. The mechanisms I see, the ones causing the obvious bottlenecks, are:

1) ISBNs
2) Production lead times (and the cash on hand necessary to survive them) and
3) Distribution. And, probably a 100 more problems I don't see.

First, ISBNs. If you've ever looked into them, you know they ain't cheap. And the sale of them has been engineered to keep out small presses (I think). I'm willing to listen to alternate theories that explain why a single ISBN costs $125, 10 cost $295, while 100 can be had for $575. How many small presses do you know have $575 set aside...just for the right to have their book's info and metadata legitimized by the '70s era ISBN book selling apparatus? To keep out the riff-raff, as far as I can tell. Unless you have six bills, or $30 for every format of every title, you aren't a "real" book in the eyes of the bookselling machine that powers almost all retail. And worse, you aren't a "real" book in the eyes of most buyers, bookstores, and even some libraries. You gotta pay to play, apparently.

Secondly, lead times for production. In order to launch (at least traditionally) a book with a distributor, and with proper time for blurbs and to line up press coverage, conventional wisdom says you need at least 18 months. You send out advance reader copies to folks, or to get a book in the queue for reviews at the kind of places people read to find new books. Again, what small press do you know that has the money to put hundreds of dollars into ARCs, and paper, and cover stock, and printing...to then sit waiting patiently for a year or more, earning none of that money back, in hopes of someone somewhere actually reading the damn thing and saying something nice about it? Does it have to be that way? Hell, I don't know. Maybe it does. It seems to work for the big guys (and some really smart small ones like Two Dollar Radio). But I can't help but wonder, with business moving at such pace these days...at least when it wants to...if there couldn't be another way. I don't see too many people clamoring to change it, and until they do, nothing will change. Once again, it's not big publishing that feels the squeeze here (it's their system -- they designed it to work like this!). The small presses, that have dumped every free dollar (and then some) into the new box of books fresh off the UPS truck, and need to recoup those costs if they're to put out their next book...those are the ones left out in the cold by a year+ launch schedule.

Lastly, distribution. This is the one that, much to my chagrin, seems like it could be most easily solved by the democratic checks-and-balances of a robust Internet. I feel like someone somewhere could invent a website that connects small presses, maybe on an opt-in basis, to the interested bookstores and libraries nationwide, based on realistic expectations of the limited sales potential of small runs, of and taking just a humble little sliver of the action in return. I have to believe there is someone out there with the technical know-how and the egalitarian, revolutionary spirit to do this. Because there are great presses out their, making books that should be on shelves, waiting for an unsuspecting read to stumble on to. That one cool bookstore near your hometown university, that edgy coffee shop, hip restaurant, local brewery, or even small library -- I have to believe there are enough folks out there with the guts to gamble on small press stuff. It should be easy for them to get their hands on some small press stuff. Easier than it currently is, anyway. That's my $.02.

I'm a small press guy, have been since my first acceptance letter way back in 1999. I get that this matters to me and that others might not be moved. But if you are moved, if you've read this far, then maybe, just maybe, you have an idea, some scheme that could push small press books further.

Think about it.
Try it.
Do it.

See what happens. I can imagine no better way to celebrate Small Press Month than by doing just that. I mean, what do we have to lose?